UWM will observe a holiday break from December 22, 2025 through January 2, 2026.
Most physical on-campus offices will be closed to in-person visitors during this time. The Center for International Education Main Office (Garland 138) will be closed to in-person visitors but our staff will be available virtually during regular business hours (phone: 414-229-4846; email: cie@uwm.edu). New students arriving for the spring 2026 semester, please read our Important Information for Early Arrivals.

International Student Processing Fee

Effective July 17, 2025 

UWM requires all F-1 and J-1 students to pay the International Student Processing Fee after admission to any program. This fee pays for the support that international students require before they arrive on campus. You must pay this fee in your application portal before any additional services can be provided. 

After verifying in your application portal that you need an F-1 visa status to study at UWM, open the International Student Processing Fee checklist item to either pay the fee or request a waiver. 

The International Student Processing Fee can be waived for students who provide official documentation for: 

  • An assistantship contract offer from UWM of 33% or higher. 
  • A scholarship offer from UWM that entirely covers tuition (e.g. athletics). 
  • Sponsorship that entirely covers tuition by an agency that has a signed agreement with UWM. 


The fee is non-refundable. If there is a possibility that you may qualify for a waiver, don’t pay the fee until you know for sure. Paid fees will not be refunded.